Broom Closets
by ICantThinkofanOriginalName
Summary: Well, heck, what had she gotten herself into now? He smiled down at her, that mischievous grin suggesting all sorts of possibilities that she should never, would never, in her right mind even consider... And yet, she considered them anyways. Was that really so bad? It would help her get over her little problem after all, wouldn't it?
1. Chapter 1

_Oh man, oh man, oh man, oh man..._

Never had she EVER done anything so ridiculously immature. And getting caught in the act, too! Oh gosh, this was gonna go on her record, wasn't it? She and Buttercup had managed to run off before Principal Keane realized who they were and what they were doing, thank goodness. But she could still hear the clacking of the principal's kitten heels following her down the hall. What if she got caught? She could say goodbye to Oxford, that was a fact.

Why, why, _WHY _had she let Buttercup talk her into that stupid prank? So what if Princess got on her nerves? It certainly should not have warranted breaking into the brat's locker, or getting caught red-handed and screwing up her otherwise pristine record.

That stupid Princess and her stupid curly hair and her stupid public displays of disgusting affection with that stupid Brick. Stupid Princess lording it over Blossom's head every chance she got. What, did she think that Blossom actually liked Brick? Of course she didn't! She merely...appreciated his physique...from time to time. That was all! Why should she care if Brick was stupid enough to pick the stupid, slutty brat?

Okay Blossom, calm down. No need to be mean.

Oh heck, she did care. That was why she was here, fleeing from Miss Keane and the consequences of a badly executed revenge prank.

To make matters worse, when she and Buttercup had split up from each other Miss Keane had chosen to follow _her._ Oh man, if she got caught...

This wasn't like her. Sure, she appreciated her sister's gung-ho willingness to help out with the prank, but now Blossom just really wished they had listened to Bubbles instead and left everything well enough alone. _Let's mess with Princess,_ Buttercup had said. _It'll help you blow off steam, _she said. Tch, look at how great that had turned out for her.

If only she could find a place to hide until Miss Keane gave up on looking for the vandals. The bathrooms were a no-go, that would be the first place any teacher would look. The band hall? She wouldn't be able to make it there without being seen. But where, then?

AHA! Perfect. The janitor's closet. Blossom changed her course slightly and pelted for the door, praying that it wasn't locked. The handle, thank goodness, turned willingly for her, and she flung herself inside and swung the door shut behind her. The broom closet was dark and had a slight burning smell to it, but it should be a good enough hiding place to stay until Miss Keane passed.

Wait a minute.

Burning smell?

What was that?

"Well, well, well, look who's playing hooky," a deep voice grumbled from behind her.

_Oh for the love of..._

Blossom turned and could just barely make out the hulking figure of Butch Jojo through the dim sliver of light that had managed to cut its way through the crack under the door. He was leaning heavily against the back wall of the closet smoking...something (Blossom told herself it was just a cigarette, though the smell didn't quite match up with that).

"Gotta be honest, didn't think you had it in ya, but look at that. Miss High-'n-Mighty, hiding in the janitor's closet. Whatdya do, forget your homework? Were you tardy to class?"

"Shut up Butch, she's gonna hear you," Blossom whispered harshly.

Butch, being the brilliant person that he was, did the opposite and laughed loudly at what she said. "Don't tell me you're on the run?" He paused and listened as Miss Keane's footsteps could be heard moving past their shared closet and walking away down the hall. "Shit, well what d'ya know? Is that the Keane? How didya get her running after you? What the hell did you even do?"

She punched his arm to shut him up. Blossom wasn't in the mood for this. Her record was on the line! She pressed her ear up against the door to listen for the moment when she was sure Miss Keane was out of hearing range.

"I gotta say, I'm a little impressed. You had to have done something pretty big to get her to actually follow you. C'mon, what was it?"

"_Nothing, _now shut up, please!" Blossom whisper-screamed back at him. "I'm in enough trouble as it is. I swear if you get me caught..."

She couldn't see it, but a taunting smile was starting to form at Butch's mouth. His eyes flashed with excitement as a thought crossed his head, and he, in his usual unfiltered manner, decided to voice it as loudly and tactlessly as he possibly could.

"So, are ya still in love with my bro, or what?"

"WHAT?!" Blossom screeched, then slapped her hand over her mouth. _Oh man, if Miss Keane heard that I'm dead, _she thought.

"You heard me," Butch said with a low, mischievous chuckle. The 'cigarette' dropped from his mouth, and he stepped on it to put it out. "Everyone knows about it. Poor little Blossy's got her panties all in a twist for my big brother, right?"

Blossom dropped her head against the wall. Of all the stupid things that could have happened to her today...

"Now, I hate to break it to ya, but it ain't gonna happen."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Blossom replied coldly.

"Yeah ya do, but go ahead and deny it if it makes ya feel better. You really haven't got a chance with him, no matter what you do. Ya see, I know my brother, and he really only goes girls who put out. Sorry Pinky, but you kinda got a rep for bein' a prude and Brick, well he just ain't playin' that game..."

She tuned him out and continued to hit her head against the wall. _What if I just made a run for it, _she asked herself. _Surely Miss Keane is far enough away that I could make it out of here without getting caught. _

"...and I told him, 'She's really pretty hot if you can get her out of that sweater,' and he was like, 'Yeah, but good luck tryin' to get her to even do that much'..."

Using her powers on campus was against school rules, but, then again, she had already broken a few rules today. What was another? All she had to do was make sure nobody saw her, and she could get away much more quickly if she just flew off. But it was only the first period of the day, though, and she had the rest of the school day ahead of her. Maybe she could just go straight to her second period and pretend that nothing had happened? Hopefully, Miss Keane hadn't seen her face and didn't know who it was that pulled that prank.

Geez, was this guy still talking?

"...and I said to him, well, then maybe you just ain't man enough to get her to do it, y'know what I'm sayin'? And he said there was absolutely no way you would ever even touch a guy, and he wasn't gonna waste his time, but ya see, I disagree."

Butch had been rambling on for longer than Blossom would ever have expected him to, though she only bothered to catch little pieces of what he was saying. The little snippets she heard, however, were becoming increasingly less understandable, and she found herself turning in his general direction and oh-so-gracefully asking, "Huh?"

There was a snort of laughter, and Butch continued to talk. "Ya see, I just don't think Brick is man enough to break your prude-y streak. And he goes, he goes, 'If I'm not, then who the hell would be?' and I says to him, 'Uh, me dumbass,' and-"

"What the heck are you talking about?" Blossom cut him off, truly confused at this point.

"Now, just hear me out on this next part. After I said all that, he made me bet that I couldn't get you to break out of your little librarian shell, and if I lose then I ain't never gonna hear the end of it. He's gonna make me quit football. Do you know how pissy I get when I can't push someone down a few times a week?"

"I've got a pretty good idea, yeah, but again, WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

"Well, ya see, while I gotchya in here, would you be willing to do me a little favor and help me win this bet with him? It would really show Brick what an ass he is, ya know? And it might help you get his attention, too, if ya know what I mean."

Blossom paused for a moment and mulled it over - she still didn't entirely understand what he was going on about - before asking, "What's the bet?"

The mischievous smile widened, and Butch let out a mildly discomforting laugh. "Oh, ya see, I just need one little teeny tiny kiss from a certain pink prude to prove my point."

There was silence in the broom closet. Blossom rolled her eyes so hard that her head twinged painfully for a moment. Was this guy for real? "Yeah, no thanks."

"Ah, but ya see Blossy, you kinda have to."

"I really don't think that I do, though," she replied, moving back towards the door to listen for sounds of a potential teacher nearby.

"Yeah, but ya really do," Butch responded with another low chuckle and placed his hand against the door, effectively holding it shut so she couldn't escape. "Ya see, it would be reeeeeaaaalll easy for me to let the Keane know where you're hiding out right now, now wouldn't it?"

Blossom narrowed her eyes at him. "You wouldn't. You'd get in just as much trouble as I would."

"Oh, I think I would. You see, the difference between you getting in trouble and me getting in trouble is that _I don't give a damn. _But you do. It really wouldn't hurt me at all to just kick this door open and come out screaming, ya know?"

There was another moment of silence before Blossom responded. "I hate you."

"Don't care about that either. So how abouts you go ahead and help me out a little bit here, and I won't go screamin' to the old lady, huh?"

Blossom thought about what he said. Was getting out of here with her record intact really worth doing that?

Wait, had she given a thought about it? No. That was disgusting. She was above such ridiculous, childish...

A voice in the back of her head, however, whispered the idea that maybe, _just maybe, _this would help solve the Brick problem a little better than the stupid prank she had tried to pull just a few minutes ago. Like Butch had said, it would at least catch his attention.

No, she was better than this.

But she did have to admit...NO! What was going on with her today?

Was she going to waste her fist kiss on _Butch_, though? She had kind of been saving it...

But it would be done in an instant, the voice in the back of her head whispered. Just a split second, and then done, right? Who would even have to know? Nobody, that's who. It wasn't like anybody could see her right now. Nobody would find out, and if it kept her from getting in trouble...

What could it hurt?

"Do you promise not to tell anybody?"

A wild chuckle responded. "Well, I have to tell ma bro 'cause of the bet, ya know, but if you want to, then this can just be _our little secret._"

She didn't trust him in the slightest but leaned forward somewhat anyways. Was she really gonna do this? "Just one, and it better barely even be that. No funny business, okay?"

The smile on Butch's face widened triumphantly. "Oh, you have my word, Pinkypie."

Just one second and done, right?

_Are you really going to waste your first kiss like this, _she asked herself.

_Well, if it keeps me from screwing up my record, _the other half of her brain answered.

Her mouth made contact with his. This wasn't too bad. Just two more seconds and she could walk away scot-free. You know, maybe this wasn't so...

The door flung open.

"MISS UTONIUM, JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"

* * *

**Pretty short, I know, but I haven't written in a while and I thought I would just ease into it.**

**I may continue this, or I may not. I'm not so sure yet. I hadn't exactly planned on starting this, so I'm not sure where I'll take it. Thanks for giving it a shot, though! As always, feedback is much appreciated.**

**See you next time!**

**-ICantThinkofanOriginalName-**


	2. Chapter 2

Blossom was in sooooo much trouble. It would have been bad enough if Ms. Keane had simply caught her in the act of vandalizing Princess's locker, but to be caught in that broom closet alone with a boy - with Butch, a known ne'er-do-well, no less - immediately afterward! Oh, Blossom's poor heart was trying to pound its way out of her chest right now. Her head hung, and she scuffed her feet against the ground. Miss Keane had sat her and Butch down in the front office and they were waiting for the principal to return and seal their fate.

_My record is ruined, _Blossom thought mournfully.

To make matters worse, the first class of the day had just ended when they were caught, so there was a hallway full of her peers to watch as she emerged from the janitor's closet with Butch and get hauled off to the principal's office. Goodness knows what they had thought about that! She could hear badly hidden whispers following after her as she and her companion were marched away.

Speaking of which, Butch was still occupying the seat next to her, chuckling under his breath. She shot him a dark look. The idiot was just sitting there, smiling away, as if he didn't have a care in the world. What had she been thinking! Had she really just - just -...oh gosh, there was no telling where his mouth had been. The sudden urge to brush her teeth overwhelmed her, and she scowled at the thought. How could she have been so foolish? And to lose her first kiss like that! Goodness, she would never live this one down.

Butch's eyes met hers all of a sudden, and a wide, toothy grin broke out across his face. Her own face flushed a deep red and she turned away as quickly as she could, but she knew from the renewed laughing that he had caught her blushing.

The door to Miss Keane's personal office opened, and the principal herself reemerged. Blossom and Butch stood and were pointed into the office, where the door was shut behind them and Miss Keane settled in at her desk. Her large blue eyes looked back and forth between the two students, and Blossom could see the disappointment lining her face.

"Well," Miss Keane began, "do either of you have anything to say for yourselves?"

"I DIDN'T DO IT," Blossom blurted out and then slapped her hands over her mouth. _What the heck is wrong with you today, _she asked herself. Butch snorted with laughter and sat down in the chair in front of the desk, leaning back smoothly as though he was spending time with friends and not in the process of getting into trouble.

"Mr. Jojo, I might have expected this of you, but Blossom! You, of all people, should know better!" Miss Keane was shaking her head, and Blossom felt her breakfast churning in her stomach. "You're the student body president. You're supposed to be an example for the other students! I never would have thought you capable of such blatant misbehavior."

"I'm sorry Ms. Keane," Blossom muttered. The room was starting to spin around her, and she grasped the arm of the nearest chair to try to keep herself together. Blossom _hated _getting into trouble.

"Right," Butch clapped his hands together and leaned his elbows onto his knees. "So, the usual, I guess, eh Keane? One week or two?"

"Mr. Jojo, I know you were smoking in there, I could smell it. No, this time I'm afraid it will be three weeks of detention." Butch shrugged. He hadn't been joking earlier, he really didn't seem to care at all about getting detention. Blossom, on the other hand...

"You as well, Miss Utonium. You will be joining Mr. Jojo here in detention, one hour after school every day for the next three weeks." Miss Keane narrowed her eyes. "I really ought to give you more, if you were doing what I think you were doing to Miss Morebuck's locker. Consider this a warning. You should know better. I will be speaking to your father about your behavior, you can be sure of that."

Blossom nodded lamely. Three weeks of detention _and _a lecture from the Professor. Ms. Keane might as well have sentenced her to the gallows. Her behavior had been deplorable. She was a vandal. A truant. A...a..._ne'er-do-well. _

"Well, as long as you both understand how serious your actions were, then I think we can be done here. Your first detention will be tomorrow immediately after school, room 104. Now get to class, both of you, and I better not hear about you loitering for even a second in the hallways."

"Yes Ms. Keane," Blossom whispered. Her eyes were misting up slightly. _Not in front of other people, darn it,_ she told herself. She and Butch were dismissed from the office and given passes to get into class. Blossom's head was pounding and she felt sick to her stomach. She turned in the direction of her Biology class, but a hand shot out and grabbed her arm before she could walk away.

"Well, well, well, how's it feel to be one of the _bad kids, _Pinky Puff?" Butch wiggled his fingers for emphasis and Blossom rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, Butch. Let's just forget about this and agree to go out separate ways, okay?" _The sooner I can forget about this, the better, _she added in her head.

"Aw, but ya see Lil' Red, I can't just forget a kiss like that, now can I? I am a gentleman, after all."

Blossom's face flushed a deep red, far redder than the bow that was tying her hair up, she was sure. Butch merely chuckled and threw her a wink before he turned on his heel and strolled away.

"What did I say about loitering, Miss Utonium!"

"Sorry Ms. Keane," Blossom squeaked, and then she turned and fled to her next class.

* * *

Needless to say, Blossom's day was _not _going well. She was late for Biology and had tripped and fallen on the way to her desk. Princess had cornered her immediately after the class. Whispers were starting to follow her in the hallways, building in intensity with every class that passed. Bubbles had shot her a confused look when they had passed each other in the hall earlier. Blossom prayed that neither of her sisters found out about her being caught with Butch. The chances of that, however, were rapidly diminishing as the news spread. Voices trailed behind her as she made her way to the cafeteria for lunch.

_Was she really in there with Jojo?_

_I thought she had a thing for the red one._

_Butch can do waayyy better than her._

_I heard they were making out when Keane caught them._

_That's not what I heard. Mary said they were doing something else if you know what I mean._

_Do you think they're like a thing or something?_

_Of course not._

_Some girls just have all the luck._

_Yeah, but why her?_

Yep. There was no way her sisters _hadn't _heard about it by now.

She was jostled by the crowd moving past her and dropped one of her books. Great. Just peachy. Best day of her life. Before she could bend down to grab it, though, it was claimed by someone else and smoothly handed to her. An arm slung around her shoulders and she was jerked against the side of someone's body. Sure enough, she looked up to find Butch's forest-green eyes leering down at her. "Word travels fast, don't it, Pinkerpuff?"

"Yes, well, I doubt that this would help very much." She pulled at the arm that was draped across her, but Butch hung on tight.

"Ah, but ya see Pinkypie, I'm kinda likin' all the talk. Ain't no way Brick can say I didn't win our bet, ya know?" Butch winked at her again and Blossom glared up at him. How could someone so tall be so darn annoying?

"Yes, I'm just _sooo _glad that you won that." Sarcasm was dripping from her voice, but apparently Butch didn't catch on to any of it - or he pretended not to, at least.

"Aww, I knew ya cared about me." He cackled as she finally broke free from his arm.

"Really Butch, there's enough talk as it is."

He held his hands up in mock-defense. "Alright, alright, don't get your pretty pink panties in a twist." He smiled mischievously and added, "I can be your dirty lil' secret if you want me to be."

"You're not my _anything, _Butch. Seriously, let's just forget about what happened, okay?"

He looked her up and down, and her face warmed once again under his gaze. Slowly he leaned towards her and muttered, "Aw, but Puffy, what if I don't wanna." More heat rushed to her face. Why - why that...that...miscreant! What sort of game did he think he was playing?

His cackling cut through the hallway again. A few more looks were pointed in their direction. Fantastic. Just what Blossom wanted right now - more attention. Butch just continued to laugh boisterously. "Well, Puff, it's been fun, but I got some grub to grab. Guess I'll see ya later, eh?"

_Yeah, I'll see you. I'll see you off a cliff, _she thought angrily. It was a real shame that he could fly, or else she'd be considering that as a viable option right now.

The cafeteria was already filled by the time that she was able to enter, and it was difficult to maneuver her way to her usual table. And oh, look at that, there was Princess practically sitting in Brick's lap, just snogging away like a couple of snoggers! Seriously, Blossom gets three weeks of detention for what she did that morning, but those two could just go around macking on each other's faces, not a care in the world, and nobody would bat an eye? Just like that, what little appetite she had disappeared. How abominably rude. She really ought to write a letter to the administration explaining the grave injustice she was witness to.

Blossom had already written half of her imaginary letter by the time she reached her regular lunch table. Bubbles and Buttercup were already seated there with Robin and Mike, their lunch trays scattered haphazardly across the table. They went silent as she sat down.

Buttercup looked to the others seated around them before starting, "Look, Bloss, about this morning-"

"Ms. Keane didn't see you, so I don't think you're in trouble," Blossom cut her off. Perhaps if she just didn't talk about it, then maybe it never really happened.

"That's great, but no, what I -"

Cheers broke out from a nearby table. It seemed Butch had joined his athletically-inclined peers and they were, apparently celebrating something. Blossom saw gestures being made in her direction, and her face colored as she looked away.

"Disgusting," Buttercup growled. "It's like they really believe that stupid rumor! As if you would ever, in a million, even give that asshole the time of day." There was a dangerous look in her eyes. Blossom knew that look. That look meant trouble.

"Um, Buttercup-" Blossom tried to stop her sister before the tirade began, but she was having none of it.

"And to think he's goin' around saying he had his hand up your skirt. What a perv."

"BC, I don't think-" Bubbles had caught on and joined Blossom in trying to stymy the rising current of anger. Once again, Buttercup seemed to ignore the warning tones.

"And he's getting applause for it! That _asshole. _I oughta...I oughta...you know what. I _WILL." _Buttercup slammed her hand down onto her tray and grabbed a handful of what the cafeteria was trying to pass as mashed potatoes and launched it in the direction of Butch's head.

And Buttercup, being the fantastic sportswoman that she was, _never _missed her target.

The surrounding tables went silent as Butch turned slowly in the direction of the flying food. The look in his eye was deadly. Buttercup sneered in his direction.

The challenge had been issued.

Butch reached his hand out behind him silently, and an obliging jock from his table plopped a steaming handful of - was that corn? - into it. One swift motion, a perfectly executed launch, and the food went flying.

Yes, it was definitely corn. And now said corn was scattered across the lunch table, and - more importantly - all through Blossom's hair.

The challenge had been accepted.

All heck broke loose, and Blossom tried to shield herself from the onslaught of edible projectiles.

* * *

Well, it would appear that Buttercup would be joining Blossom and Butch for the next three weeks of detention. Ms. Keane certainly hadn't been all too enthused when she walked into the pandemonium that was the cafeteria. Twelve people had been marched to the front office immediately and, one by one, were all subjected to the wrath of an angry educator. Fury, thy name is Keane.

The Professor had received a second call for the day concerning one of his daughters, and Blossom had winced as she heard his voice sound faintly from the receiver. It wasn't the happiest that she had ever heard her father-figure sound. Not by a longshot. Sure enough, when he picked his daughters up from school for the day, his face was lined with stern indignation. The car ride had been a silent affair.

Bubbles was dismissed to her room the moment they got home and she ran off before the Professor's speech began, so it was just Blossom and Buttercup seated on the living room couch as the Professor paced in front of them. The lecture had been one of his longest, and it seemed he had prepared in advance for the rant since he pulled out a piece of paper that contained a rather lengthy bulleted list of points. He was sure to hit every single one at least twice before his final, "I'm very disappointed in you girls. You should know better by now." Buttercup mouthed the last phrase along with the Professor as he said it - this had been her second time this week hearing it.

A second sentencing was issued to complement Ms. Keane's detentions. A full month of house arrest, so to speak, and they were to take on Bubbles's chore load as well. Blossom hung her head in shame throughout the speech, while Buttercup just lounged back on the couch and picked at her fingernails as the Professor spoke. How could her sister handle the shame and disgrace of punishment that easily? Blossom was humiliated, but her sister seemed so nonchalant about the whole ordeal.

The Professor released them from their places on the couch but rested a hand on Blossom's arm as she passed him. He pulled her slightly closer to him before saying, "Now, just a minute young lady. There's one more thing we need to talk about before you go. Buttercup, you may go to your room now."

"No way pops, I wanna hear this one." Buttercup reclaimed her spot on the couch and stared at the two figures standing in front of her with interest.

"Buttercup-"

"You won't even know I'm here, Professor!"

"Well, okay, but, um..." The Professor cleared his throat. "Well, when I spoke to Ms. Keane earlier about your behavior today, she mentioned, well, uh...I'm not sure how to say this Blossom, but, uh, if you're going to be, um,..._active..._with a boy, there are really a few things you ought to know about first."

The snort from Buttercup was loud, and Blossom's jaw hung open as her face - for the hundredth time that day - turned a deep scarlet color.

"P-professor! NO, I wasn't...we weren't...it's not like that," Blossom stammered out. Buttercup was now howling with laughter.

"Even so, there are a few things you need to know about boys in general-"

"No thanks, I'm good. I'm in biology, I know what's going on, and I think I'll be fine! Boys are bad, no being alone together, yep, got it. Thanks, Professor." She tried to make a run for it, but an arm shot out to block her before she could.

"Now now, young lady, if you're going to go sneaking off with boys then you are going to have to sit and listen to me first." The Professor was all seriousness as he directed her to take a seat on the couch once more.

This lecture ended up being even longer than the first, and Buttercup was still chortling away at the end of it, more amused than anybody in their right minds ought to be in such a situation. If Blossom thought she had been embarassed before, then now she was utterly mortified.

Bubbles was waiting at the top of the stairs with open arms as Blossom was finally set free from her torment. At least one sister was nice enough to show some support. The blonde walked Blossom to her room and sat down on the bed. "So," she began, "should I say 'I told you so' now, or wait for later?"

"Go ahead and get it over with."

"I told you that you shouldn't listen to Buttercup! _I'm _the love expert! And now look at you, you've gone and kissed the wrong brother!"

"Wait, no, that's not what I-"

"I mean, he _is _pretty cute. And he's sooooo tall. And as long as it's not my Boomer then I don't care who you kiss. But Blossy, you can't change your focus that quickly. You'll get whiplash! This isn't square dancing, this is a matter of the heart!"

"Believe me, my 'heart' doesn't care about Butch Jojo."

Bubbles shook her head sagely. "Oh, Blossy, are you trying to make Brick jealous? That never works! Don't you remember what happened to Cassandra in _Love Always Wins?"_

"That's a tv show, Bubbles. And I really doubt I'm going to lose my legs in a car accident."

"Not that part! Ugh, whatever. Just listen to dear old Bubsy, okay? I am the love _expert. _Believe me, you're going about this all wrong."

"I'm not 'going about' anything! He had a stupid bet and I got roped into it! That's all."

What was that look on her sister's face. Was that pity? Oh no, Blossom was never going to be able to let this go. "Blossy, no. So the rumors are true? Oh, you poor thing! Having your first kiss stolen by someone you don't even like! And in a janitor's closet, too! Oh, that's so unromantic. I am so so sorry." The blonde flung her arms around her, and Blossom struggled to be released from the grip.

"Yes, tragic, but can we just forget about this?"

That earned a squeak from Bubbles. "Just _forget? _NO! As bad as it might have been, it was still your first kiss! You can never forget that!"

"But Bubbles-"

"No, what we need to do is get you a _real _one to replace it. Now, come, talk to the love expert. Who do you want it to be from?"

"We are not having this conversation."

"Yes, we are! Are you still interested in Brick, or have you changed your mind?"

"I was never-"

"Oh, don't even try that with me. You and I both know you were. But he's taken, so that's a no-go. Is there anybody else?"

"Bubbles, really-"

"You know what, don't even tell me! I have a vision, I can see it all so clearly now. But I have so much work to do! I need to get started right away. Don't you worry, Blossom, the love expert is on the case!" With that, Bubbles swept from the room. Blossom flopped down unceremoniously on her bed and groaned into her pillow. Great. Now the "love expert" was back. That title hadn't been used in years, and Blossom did not miss it one bit. Any plans her sister had did not bode well for the ginger.

* * *

**_Hey guys, it looks like I didn't abandon this story after all. To all those people who reviewed a few months ago when this first came out - THANK YOU SO MUCH! Really, you're all incredibly kind, and I really appreciate everything that was said. Sorry it has taken me a hot minute to get back to this, but come back I have._**

**_I may be spamming this site a bit in the coming weeks. I plan on working on this story as well as a couple of other new ones for the next little bit, so sorry if that gets on your nerves. I have one particularly special surprise that I'm really looking forward to, a sequel to another story of mine. In reality, I'm just trying to distract myself from school for a bit._**

**_As always, thank you so much for giving this story a chance. I really appreciate it! Commentary is, of course, always welcome._**

**_I look forward to seeing you guys in the next chapter. Thanks again._**

**_XOXO_**

**_-ICantThinkofanOriginalName-_**


	3. Chapter 3

Blossom sat mournfully at the breakfast table, stirring the cereal around her bowl. Today was her first day of d...d..._detention_. The word felt foreign and wrong. She shuddered at the thought. It left a bad taste in her mouth, and she felt like she needed to shower. How did Buttercup handle getting de...- _that - _over and over again? Her stomach churned. She hated getting in trouble. Ever since she stole that set of golf clubs, she had sworn she would never again purposely break the rules if she could help it. And now look at her. "Ne'er-do-well," she whispered harshly to herself. As she stared at the bowl of cereal, she contemplated her newfound status as a troublemaker within Townsville's public school system. Perhaps profligate was a better word for her now. It certainly had a better ring to it than ne'er-do-well. She briefly considered wastrel as well, but that would suggest an element of laziness, and she didn't feel that she was quite that bad yet.

She heard rhythmic footsteps coming down the stairs. Someone was skipping - it was most likely Bubbles. Blossom doubted Buttercup was even awake yet. They still had an hour and a half before they had to leave for school, and the middle sister preferred sleeping until the last possible moment.

Sure enough, the ever-chipper blonde bounced into the kitchen and seated herself at Blossom's right side. She drummed her fingers against the table in excitement, and her blue eyes gleamed happily. With a sigh, Blossom set down her spoon and asked, "Yes, Bubbles?"

Bubbles' words flew out in a rapid torrent of excitement, and she barely even paused for breath as she spoke. "OHMYGOSH, okay, so I was messaging people all last night, and I found every witness to, you know, the _incident _yesterday so that I could have all the facts, and once I did that I started to do some research because I had that most fantastic idea about how to solve your guy problems - don't worry, it's a brilliant plan and I have everything lined up perfectly. I was talking to Boomer and he gave me some phone numbers, and so I texted _those _people and they're totally on board - well, most of them are, but the ones who aren't don't really care that much so I don't think that they'll, you know, get in the way or anything, so we should be fine, and -"

"BUBBLES, BREATHE! What are you talking about?"

The blonde let out a _hmph _and rolled her eyes. "I told you last night that the love expert was going to help you fix your awful first kiss, and I _never _break a promise - well, there was that one time, but that's beside the point! - and so I got started on everything almost immediately and I have everything all planned out and other people are going to help -"

_"Who?" _Blossom eyed her sister warily. Don't get her wrong, she appreciated the sentiment, but Blossom was generally a very reserved person and the idea of other people knowing about whatever harebrained scheme Bubbles had come up with made her uneasy.

"Oh, don't worry about that right now." Bubbles patted Blossom on the head. "I can't tell you too much about my plan, I know how you get around guys and it's probably better for your confidence if you just don't know what's going on behind the scenes, but don't you worry! I even managed to contact him about it, and we haven't really talked much yet, but I can definitely say that he is _very _interested."

"WHO?!"

"Blossom, just trust me! I AM THE LOVE _EXPERT. _I have the whole situation completely under control!"

"Bubbles! I don't know what you're trying to accomplish, but I'm not going to just go along with something that I have no information about!"

The blonde giggled in response. "I knew you were gonna say that, but don't worry, I planned for that, too. You don't have to worry about a thing."

"Funny, but for some reason, I _am _worried about it," Blossom snapped. Bubbles simply giggled at her once more. Was Blossom losing her edge? She was giving her sister her strongest glare, but it didn't seem to be having any effect this time. Why wasn't she listening to her?

"Blossy, you can be pretty silly sometimes. But we don't have time for that right now. Come on, let's go get you ready. Today is just the first day of phase one, after all! Chop chop, we have to get you dressed!"

"No! I am not doing anything without knowing why!"

"Yes you are, now LET'S GO!"

"No!"

The two sisters glared at each other. Blossom could see her sister's cheeks turning pink, and her bottom lip trembling. Slowly, Bubbles's left foot rose and came back down in a massive stomp that shook the house, and Buttercup screamed a curse from upstairs in her room.

* * *

A brush was being dragged through Blossom's hair, and she winced with each rough stroke. Her scalp was sensitive, gosh darn it! What was Bubbles trying to do to her?

Buttercup was now curled up in Blossom's bed attempting to sleep through the arguing between her two sisters. She had been unable to resist following the sounds of the argument, but - in typical Buttercup fashion - was too affected by the earliness of the hour to remain awake for the less interesting parts of the spat.

Blossom's throat was sore from arguing, but Bubbles had out-yelled her by a long shot and she found herself with some unfamiliar clothes shoved into her hands and a hairbrush being dragged through her long locks. Bubbles was chattering away, all previous frustration apparently gone now that she had gotten her way. The high-waisted dark wash skinny jeans she had been given were a little more form-fitting than Blossom was typically used to, as was the plain black long sleeve shirt, but she had to admit the look was sleek and clean, and that at least fit her personality. At least Bubbles had given her some sense of self in that. Besides, who didn't appreciate a nice monochrome color scheme?

Bubbles ran a few more strokes of the brush through her hair before declaring it perfect. Blossom moved to grab her traditional bow from off the table in front of her, but Bubbles slapped her hand before she could grab it. "No no, not today. I have it on good sources that you need to wear your hair down today."

"Why?!"

The blonde giggled and skipped from the room. As soon as she was out of sight, Blossom grabbed the ribbon anyways and began to tie back her hair.

"Shejusgontakeitout," the lump that was her other sister mumbled from her bed.

"I'd like to see her try," Blossom said, sending a dark look at the doorway Bubbles had just exited through.

* * *

Bubbles did indeed take the ribbon out, and now Blossom's hair hung heavily across her shoulders as she walked through the hallways before class that morning. The blonde was humming happily as she skipped along beside her, while the final third of their trio trudged behind, still unwilling to admit that she was awake.

Blossom said goodbye to her sisters as they claimed their necessities from their lockers and went towards their homeroom classes. Blossom, however, remained behind to reorganize the mess in her own locker that she had left behind in her haste to leave the previous day. A few books were shifted and a couple of papers placed into their proper sections. There. Systematic organizational perfection. Having her belongings in order brought a small sense of satisfaction, like she was regaining her footing after the stumbling block that was the day before. Before closing the door, she pulled a spare hair tie from a pouch she left at the bottom of the locker and pulled her hair up. It might not be her typical ribbon, but at least the hairstyle was comfortable and familiar. She closed the metal door and turned to move to her own first class, but stumbled backwards when she nearly ran into a person standing directly behind her. A low chuckle met her ears as she steadied herself and looked up into a pair of burning red eyes.

"Hey, Pinky." Brick's voice was rough as usual, and it caused the hair on her arms to stand up slightly. Was he talking to her? Of course he was talking to her. But why? She was beneath his notice. He had made that perfectly clear before...

She stammered out a response - hopefully it was coherent, but she wasn't even paying attention to what she said as she stared into the blood-red eyes looking down at her. There was his signature smirk gracing his perfect masculine features, and Blossom found herself lost in her own imagination as Brick spoke. It wasn't until he chuckled and leaned against the locker next to hers that she realized he was waiting for a response, and she blushed deeply and looked away to regain her composure.

"Um, I'm sorry, would you mind repeating that," she stammered out awkwardly. Brick laughed outright, making Blossom's face turn even redder - if that were even possible.

"Aw, look, you're blushin'. Is it because of me?"

Blossom's eyes shot up to meet his defensively, and her voice returned to her fully. "No, it most certainly is not! It's just...warm...in here, is all," she told him lamely.

He chuckled again. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say. So, uh, you and Butch, huh? Y'all like a thing, or something?"

"Absolutely not!"

There was that wicked smirk leering down at her again. Brick reached up and grabbed a loose strand of hair that hadn't made it into her ponytail and tucked it behind her ear. She tried to stop herself from shuddering at the contact. "That's good to hear. Ya know, Pinky, I feel like we haven't really gotten to talk much since me and the boys, ya know, gave up crime and all that. How about we fix that some time, yeah?"

The heat in Blossom's face grew to a near boiling point, and she tried to subtly blow an icy breeze from her mouth to cool herself down before responding with, "Don't you have a girlfriend?"

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her. Anyways, see ya around, Pinky," he said with a chuckle, winking at something over Blossom's shoulder before he turned and walked away. Her eyes blankly followed him all the way down the hallway and around a corner.

Blossom jumped slightly when someone muttered, "asshole" right behind her, and she turned around to see Butch glaring at his brother's retreating form. Blossom's face began to reheat, but from anger instead of awkwardness this time. "You," she exclaimed darkly.

"Me," he responded with a wide grin. Blossom felt her hands curl up into fists at the sight of his smug smile.

"You...you...YOU GOT CORN IN MY HAIR!" A few students turned around to look at her as she yelled, and Butch's eyebrows shot up in surprise as she raised her fist threateningly.

"Hey, that was an accident, and Butterbitch started it! Why don't yo-" Butch was cut off as Blossom's fist collided with his stomach, leaving him momentarily breathless. "Her name is Buttercup," she exclaimed. A few more students turned to watch the spectacle as Blossom lifted her fist again to bring down another blow, then another. "You...took...my...first...kiss," she grumbled as she peppered his arms and chest with furious hits. "You got me in DETENTION!" Another angry jab. Butch started laughing like a maniac as she rained down blow after blow, which only caused her to hit even harder, drawing on her superstrength more with each hit. Normally she wouldn't condone such violence, especially not at school, but it wasn't like she had never hit a Rowdyruff before. He wouldn't _die _from it or anything. Any bruises she - hopefully - left would be healed by tomorrow. Maybe the rash action would even teach him a lesson. But why was he still laughing like a maniac?

Eventually, Butch stood up straight and grabbed her fist before she landed another hit, turning her and pinning her arms to her sides as he laughed at her efforts to get free. "Awww, Pinkypie. That was adorable. Now, how's about I walk ya to class?"

With a grunt, Blossom ripped herself out of his grip and turned to face him. "No! Just leave me alone!"

"Aw, but what if I don't wanna?"

"Then I'll kick your butt! And I won't hold back at all next time!" She stood taller and sent him her best glare, but the near-manic glint in his eyes told her it wasn't working.

"Hmmm, kinky," he responded with a wicked smile. She gasped and her face reddened as she realized his insinuation, and she smacked his arm - _hard _\- in response. How dare he? She was a lady!

Butch raised his hands defensively and took a step back, chuckling as he went. "Alright, alright, point taken. Put the claws away, kitty. See ya in detention, lil' Red," he said with a wink before walking away in what Blossom assumed was the direction of his own first period class. She rolled her eyes and took a deep breath before clutching her binders closer to herself and storming off to class. Well, wasn't that just fine and dandy? And to think she had to spend an hour with him after school that day.

* * *

The rest of the morning drudged by slowly. Buttercup stopped Blossom briefly between classes to high-five her for "kicking Butch's ass" that morning, and Bubbles pulled her aside to sternly let her know that she needed to talk to her during lunch. Otherwise, classes passed in a monotonous blur, blending into the humdrum of everyday normality that Blossom took comfort in. Aside from a few more eyes being on her than normal as she walked into each classroom, everything was just as it typically was. Wonderful, structured uniformity, the atmosphere Blossom really, well, blossomed in. By the time she entered the cafeteria, the comforts of routine had restored her to a much better mood, and she felt control coming back to her.

Bubbles joined her in the pizza line and huffed as she sent her older sister a dark glare that Blossom chose to ignore. The blonde sighed repeatedly as the two of them went through the line, but it wasn't until they were seated at the table that Blossom finally asked her what she wanted.

"He told me what you did this morning," her sister screeched in frustration. Blossom daintily took a bite of her own pizza and chewed thoughtfully before telling her that she "had no idea" what Bubbles was talking about, which earned another grumpy huff from the blonde.

"He told me what you said to him, and that was _not _part of the plan. It's a good thing he thought it was cute, or you would have thrown my whole plan under the bus!"

Blossom narrowed her eyes at her sister. "Bubbles, you're not talking about-"

"-and to think I put so much thought into it! Next time you need to-"

"There isn't going to be a next time, Bubbles! I don't know what your 'plan' entails, but I am perfectly happy just being single, okay!"

Her sister's blue eyes softened at the statement and her pale eyebrows creased together in pity and understanding. "Oh, Blossom, I know it can be awkward and a bit confusing at first, but just you wait! Matters of the heart always take a little getting used to, but luckily you have me to see you through it."

Their other sister dropped her lunch tray on the table and joined them, telling Blossom, "you know she's trying to set you up with someone, right," as she sat down.

Blossom let out a terse breath and faced the blonde, who was trying to subtly let Blossom's hair back out of its ponytail. "Look, Bubbles, I appreciate it, but if you're trying to do what I think you're doing, I promise you it's not going to work."

Her statement was met with a wide, shining smile and the assurance that Bubbles, as the "love expert", always knew what was best. Blossom dropped the subject there, hoping that her lack of interest would lead to boredom on her sister's part. Bubbles rarely dedicated more than a day or two to a failing project, and as long as Blossom didn't respond, the blonde couldn't possibly find any reason to believe her plan was working. Hopefully. Besides, even if she didn't give it up there was always the possibility that Blossom's lack of cooperation would totally - what was it that Bubbles had said earlier? - throw the entire plan 'under the bus' so to speak.

She turned back to her own lunch and began to eat again as the rest of the members of her and her sisters' regular lunch group gathered and began to chat idly. Blossom was happy to see Boomer sit down next to Bubbles and occupy her attention for the time being. The two blondes whispered happily to each other, and Blossom turned to talk to Mike from across the table.

Shortly before the bell rang to release them from their lunch period, Blossom felt a hard elbow jab into her side. Bubbles leaned over and whispered in her ear, "You know he's been staring at you this whole time, right," with a giggle. Boomer nodded from behind and added, "It's true," and gestured in the general direction behind Blossom. Her face reddened, and she looked over her shoulder to find Butch grinning widely in her direction. She also happened to notice that Brick's attention was not focused on his girlfriend, but instead was being directed at _her. _She cleared her throat and turned back to look at the two excessively positive blues to tell them, "I have no idea what you are referring to."

Bubbles giggled at her sister's seriousness as the bell rang to dismiss them back to class. "Just wait! I promise you're gonna love what we have planned, right Boomer?"

The Boomer in question shot Blossom a sympathetic glance and mouthed "I'm sorry" as his girlfriend led him away.

* * *

There it was. Room 104. The school had been dismissed a mere five minutes ago, and Blossom had dragged herself to her assigned doom. The door stood open, a gateway to a hell worse than any other Blossom had ever faced. A permanent smudge on her near-pristine record. She took a deep breath and stepped through the threshold to find...

A perfectly normal classroom, complete with an assortment of mismatched desks and glaring white florescent lights. A little anticlimactic, sure, but Blossom's stomach churned nonetheless as she took her seat amongst her fellow degenerate peers. She purposely chose a desk towards the back, one that had an open seat next to it that she intended to save for her sister. Just one hour, and then she would only have 19 more sessions of detention left (she had a countdown already meticulously drawn into her planner).

Blossom quickly glanced around the room at the other students who had already arrived. Some had pulled out homework to work on, which seemed like a respectable thing to do, so Blossom decided to emulate those individuals. As she reached over and dug in her backpack, someone sat down in the empty seat next to hers. Looking up, she found a pair of deep green eyes smiling down at her.

"Hey, Pinkypants, mind if I sit here," Butch asked as he leaned back comfortably in the seat. His voice was far too loud and far too happy for the quiet, dismal atmosphere of the room.

She grimaced in response. "Yes, I _do _mind, I was saving that seat for my sister." As she said that, Buttercup walked in and paused for a moment as she looked in her direction, then rolled her eyes at Butch, shrugged apologetically, and sat with a friend of hers on the other side of the classroom.

Traitor.

"Look at that, problem solved," Butch said, grinning down at her.

"You have got to be...ugh, nevermind. Let's just get this over with." Blossom ignored the mumbled "that's what she said" comment and turned to her work in front of her.

A teacher she had never seen before walked in and immediately called role, never once looking up from the sheet in front of him to see if the students were actually present or not. After finishing, he sat down at the front of the room, told the students to "stay quiet and stay busy", and gave all of his attention to the dilapidated computer monitor that sat on the desk at the front.

There really wasn't much left for Blossom to do, as far as homework went. She had finished the majority of her math problems in class and had finished her readings for the week the night before. It was the middle of the grading period, so there weren't any big projects or tests that she had to prepare for. Perhaps she could go through and highlight her notes from class? Or maybe...

She glanced at the book peeking out of her backpack. Really, if the teacher wasn't going to pay any attention to the students, then she could probably get away with just reading after she finished the math work, right? Or was that against the rules? As she finished her final problem, she looked up subtly at the teacher to make sure he was still occupied, then quietly slipped her battered copy of _Pride and Prejudice _out of her backpack.

Butch snorted from beside her. "Uh oh, watch out. Pufferfish's gone wild. She's got a _book._"

Blossom sent him a dark glare as she opened the book to the dog-eared page. That was one of the few very messy habits she allowed herself. Some people smoked, some people drank. She folded down the corners of pages in books. She figured it was a mild enough form of rebellion.

She slouched slightly as she settled into the story, only to be interrupted by Butch not so subtly placing his elbow on her desk and leaning in her direction. Was it his life's mission just to bother her? Well, technically yes, but that didn't mean she enjoyed him trying to probe a conversation out of her.

"Hey"

"Hey."

"Hey, lil' Red."

"Hey."

"Watchya readin'?"

"Red?"

"You ignorin' me?"

"C'mon Red, throw me a bone."

Eventually, he gave up trying to speak to her. It was a trick that she had picked up from dog trainers. Since most unpleasant behaviors were a cry for attention, ignoring them would, in theory, eventually cause them to stop trying. Apparently that worked with both dogs and Rowdyruffs, not that there was much of a difference. He was still leaning heavily on her desk, though, and she did _not _appreciate the lack of personal space.

She turned the page, still set on ignoring his presence, when he flipped the page back over and said, "I wasn't done yet. We ain't all genius readers, ya know."

Blossom blinked at him. "...Were you reading that?"

He grinned at her surprise. "Yeah, that's right lil' Red. I know how to read."

"Oh, I never meant to insinuate...sorry," she said quietly, and awkwardly waited until he turned the page for himself. Turning back to the familiar story, she read through the two pages in front of her and then looked expectantly at the Rowdyruff who was still invading her personal space. His eyes were tracing the words on the page, his brows knit together slightly and his tongue poking out slightly as he read. There was something almost...boyishly charming about the sight, and Blossom almost forgot that she was annoyed with him. He flipped to the next page once more and smiled smugly at Blossom.

"I don't know what this is about, or half the words, but that Darcy dude sounds a lot like me," He told her with a wink.

She rolled her eyes at his comment. "You are most certainly _not _Mr. Darcy."

"Am too. He's tall and cool and kinda savage. Like me."

"Oh please, you being Mr. Darcy would require you to be serious about something for once."

He quirked an eyebrow at her and sent yet another rakish smile in her direction. "I could be...if I had a reason to."

"You know, it sounds like you're trying to suggest something, but I really don't know what it is, nor do I care to. Now, if you'll excuse me," she gestured to the book and turned back to continue reading. Butch inched even closer and followed along at a slightly slower pace than her own, continuing to turn the page at regular intervals.

The rest of the hour passed much like that, and the teacher soon stood and dismissed the bored students. Butch stretched as he stood and looked down at Blossom. "Ten bucks says he and that Lizzie chick hook up by the end of it."

Blossom closed the book and slid it into her backpack. "It was the regency era. People didn't just 'hook up.' But they do get engaged at the end, yes."

He sent her an odd look. "You sound like you've read it before."

"I have," she told him as she stood and swung her bookbag over her shoulder. "It's one of my favorites."

"Huh. Well, alright then. It's been fun, but I've gotta get to football practice before the coach kills me. See ya tomorrow, Pufferoni." With that, he strode out of the classroom. She watched him go, a single question lingering on her mind.

What the heck is a pufferoni?

* * *

Buttercup joined her sister at the doorway of the classroom. "Hey, is Butch bothering you? 'Cause I'll kick his ass if you need me to."

"No, it's fine," Blossom assured her. "I can handle him."

"Yeah, well just make sure he doesn't try to _handle _you," the brunette said with a devious smirk.

"Buttercup! I am a lady," Blossom exclaimed.

"You might be, but he sure as hell isn't."

"No, I suppose he's not," Blossom muttered quietly. She looked in the general direction of the football field as she exited the school, but then shook her head and took off for home with Buttercup.

* * *

_**Hey guys. Sorry it's been a hot minute, but I'm back! I mentioned this in my new story Blaze, but I may as well repeat the whole spiel here. I've been having a bit of a rough time of it lately, and my schedule has been shot for a long time. In an effort to achieve my own sense of comfortable normality, as well as a general sense of productivity, I've given myself a sort of nanowrimo-esque challenge for the next few weeks to give myself some consistency.**_

_**I hope this chapter didn't disappoint after such a long break. Thank you all so much for supporting this story so far! I can't tell you how much it means to me. I want to send a special thanks to NyanCart098, GlitzyGirl26, Ricardo Alvarado, and Ash141 for reviewing after the last chapter. As I always say, I really appreciate any and all feedback I can get from you guys.**_

_**Thanks again! Until next time.**_

_**xoxo**_

_**-ICantThinkofanOriginalName-**_


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